It’s Friday.
For Friday September 17th, 2021, President Biden has reconvened the Major Economies Forum on Energy and Climate to spur efforts to confront the global climate crisis. President Biden will have received his daily brief. This afternoon he will travel from D.C., to Rehoboth Beach, Delaware.
President Biden has tweeted 2 times so far for Friday; one of the tweets will be shared down thread.
The video is 2 minutes and 7 seconds long.
President Biden: You know, ever since our nation was founded, America has been nurtured and enriched by contributions, sacrifices, and dreams of immigrants from every part of the world. Every immigrant comes here from different circumstances and for different reasons. But they all have one thing in common: courage. It takes courage to leave behind all you’ve ever known and start a new life in America. And Citizenship Day is a reminder that the job of every single one of us is to ensure that America remains a country worthy of immigrants’ aspirations. My administration strives to do that by focusing on challenges facing working families, helping them gain a little breathing room, creating millions of good jobs so that more families can carve out their place in the middle class. And part of my Building Back Better initiative means recognizing the dignity and contributions of immigrant families–especially front line workers who have carried our country on their back throughout this pandemic. That’s why I strongly support giving Dreamers, TPS recipients, farm workers, and essential workers the long-awaited pathway to citizenship they deserve. I’m working closely with Congress right now to finally make that a reality–to ensure that every brave immigrant can pursue all the rights and opportunities that come with American citizenship. I’ve also directed my cabinet to make sure that the naturalization process is faster, more accessible, and more efficient–especially for immigrants who served in our armed forces. You know, in our democracy the title “citizen” is supreme. It’s equal even to the title of “President.” And I’m hopeful and I’m confident that this year we’re finally going to put that within reach of so many deserving immigrants who have sacrificed and contributed so much to our nation already. So thank you for standing with us in this effort. And thank you for helping build the great nation of immigrants. And may God bless you all.
On Thursday the White House published the following Proclamation on Constitution Day and Citizenship Day, and Constitution Week, 2021:
For 234 years, America’s Constitution has guided our growth, shaped our progress, and defined us as a Nation of sacred laws and fundamental values. When our democracy is tested, we draw strength from the Constitution to see us through. When we look ahead in our uniquely American way — restless, bold, and optimistic — our Constitution is the bedrock we build upon to make our Nation more equal, more just, and more prosperous for all our people.
American democracy requires our constant care, vigilance, and full participation to determine the course and conscience of our Union. As President, I swore an oath to preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution, and I will continue to work tirelessly to ensure that we uphold and strengthen this remarkable system of self-government for future generations ready to put their own shoulders to the wheel.
The Framers of the Constitution understood the extraordinary promise of a democratic system of government — a Nation that could be made a “more perfect Union” by each passing generation to come. They laid out a set of basic principles and equipped the American people with all that was necessary to meet the changing needs and values of our country through the years.
For more than two centuries, women and men have struggled and strived to make good on the promise of our founding document and to expand the promise of America by amending our Constitution in accordance with our growth and progress as a Nation — just as the Framers envisioned they would. Through Civil War, the fight for universal suffrage, and the heroic non-violent resistance of the Civil Rights Movement — from Seneca Falls to Selma and countless acts of civic bravery beyond — courageous Americans have fought, sacrificed, and changed hearts and minds to deliver the full breadth of human dignity to which our Constitution aspires. Fully realizing these ideals and attaining justice for all remains an urgent and enduring imperative.
Today, we are in the midst of grave attempts to suppress and subvert the right to vote in free and fair elections — the most sacred right in our democracy and the very heart of our Constitution. We must continue to rebuff these threats to ensure that American democracy remains healthy and strong. My Administration is pursuing an all-of-government effort to protect and expand the fundamental right to vote and make our democracy more equitable and accessible for all Americans.
I have often said that America is the only Nation founded on an idea. Though we have never fully lived up to it, we have never walked away from it. We have never stopped striving to fulfill the founding promise of our Nation — that all of us are created equal and deserve to be treated equally throughout our lives. My Administration is committed to bringing us closer to the fulfillment of that promise.
To honor the timeless principles enshrined in our Constitution, the Congress has, by joint resolution of February 29, 1952 (36 U.S.C. 106), designated September 17 as “Constitution Day and Citizenship Day” and authorized the President to issue a proclamation calling on United States officials to display the flag of the United States on all Government buildings on that day. By joint resolution of August 2, 1956 (36 U.S.C. 108), the Congress further requested that the President proclaim the week beginning September 17 and ending September 23 of each year as “Constitution Week.”
NOW, THEREFORE, I, JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR., President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim September 17, 2021, as Constitution Day and Citizenship Day, and September 17, 2021, through September 23, 2021, as Constitution Week. On this day and during this week, we celebrate our Constitution and the rights of citizenship that together we enjoy as the people of this proud Nation.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this sixteenth day of September, in the year of our Lord two thousand twenty-one, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and forty-sixth.
White House.gov. 09/16/2021.
When Biden Bits was published for Thursday, President Biden had tweeted 2 times. He added 8 tweets giving him a Thursday Tweeting Total of 10 tweets and 0 retweets.
Even though this tweet was from yesterday afternoon, I’m gonna post today’s Major Economies Forum on Energy and Climate (MEF) to Galvanize Efforts to Confront the Global Climate Crisis YouTube stream.
The YouTube is 42 minutes and 15 seconds long. I cued the video to the 14 minute and 17 second mark when the event actually started. President Biden speaks from the 16 minute and 39 second mark; he concludes his remarks at the 24 minute and 18 second mark.
The YouTube video is 22 minutes and 46 seconds long. His full remarks can be found here.
President Biden (2:56): Here’s the simple truth. For a long time, this economy has worked great for those at the very top, while ordinary, hardworking Americans — the people who built this country — have been basically cut out of the deal. And I’ve said this from the time I announced I was going to run: I believe this is a moment of potentially great change. This is our moment to deal working people back into the economy. This is our moment to prove to the American people that their government works for them, not just for the big corporations and those at the very top.
President Biden (13:31): My Republican friends are attacking my plan, saying it’s “big spending.” Let me remind you, these are the same folks who just four years ago passed the Trump tax cut totaling almost $2 trillion in tax cuts –- a giant giveaway to the largest corporations and the top 1 percent. And listen to this: Almost none of that $2 trillion tax cut was paid for. It just ballooned the federal deficit.
President Biden (2:45): [this is only slightly related, but is the only time he mentions “teacher”] How is it possible for millionaires and billionaires that can pay a lower rate of tax than teachers, firefighters, or law enforcement officers?
President Biden (0:26): And I’ve said many times before: I believe we’re at an inflection point in this country — one of those moments where the decisions we’re about to make can change — literally change the trajectory of our nation for years and possibly decades to come. Each inflection point in this nation’s history represents a fundamental choice. I believe that America, at this moment, is facing such a choice. And the choice is this: Are we going to continue with an economy where the overwhelming share of the benefits go to big corporations and the very wealthy? Or are we going to take this moment right now to set this country on a new path — one that invests in this nation; creates real, sustained economic growth; and that benefits everyone, including working people and middle-class folks?
President Biden (1:21): The data — (clears throat) — excuse me. The data is absolutely clear. Over the past 40 years, the wealthy have gotten wealthier, and too many corporations have lost their sense of responsibility to their workers, their communities, and the country. Just look at the facts. CEOs used to make about 20 times the average worker in the company that they ran. Today, they make more than 350 times what the average worker in their corporation makes. Since the pandemic began, billionaires have seen their wealth go up by $1.8 trillion. That is, everyone who was a billionaire before the pandemic began, the total accumulated wealth beyond the billions they already had has gone up by $1.8 trillion. Simply not fair. And it’s — how is it possible that 55 of the largest corporations in this country paid zero dollars in federal income taxes? They made over $40 billion in the year 2020, and they’ve paid zero. Think about that. Zero dollars in federal taxes on $40 billion in profits. How is it possible that the wealthiest billionaires
in the country can entirely escape paying income tax on what they’ve made? How is it possible for millionaires and billionaires that can pay a lower rate of tax than teachers, firefighters, or law enforcement officers? Here’s the simple truth. For a long time, this economy has worked great for those at the very top, while ordinary, hardworking Americans — the people who built this country — have been basically cut out of the deal. And I’ve said this from the time I announced I was going to run: I believe this is a moment of potentially great change. This is our moment to deal working people back into the economy. This is our moment to prove to the American people that their government works for them, not just for the big corporations and those at the very top.
FRIDAY TWEET:
President Biden (10:41): Today, in this country, right now, the top 1 percent, for example, evade an estimated $160 billion in taxes that they owe each year. Not new taxes, taxes that they owe.
President Biden (12:51): Look — and like I said just a few minutes ago, 55 of the most profitable corporations in America paid zero in federal income taxes on what amounted to $40 billion in profit. Not a penny. That’s not right. And my economic plan will change that. Not punish anybody, just make them pay their fair share.
This is an Open Thread.
HAPPY FRIDAY!
